Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets.
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@eff@mastodon.social
At least with a standalone smart camera, you can mount them in ways that constrains their view to just your property. Unfortunately, with the ways most porches are laid out, that's all but impossible with a doorbell camera.@eff@mastodon.social
Also, just because you opt out, should we have any confidence that they aren't still using your camera for these purposes? Do we really think they'll be satisfied leaving holes in their surveillance nets when they can just silently closing those holes? I mean, they were supposed to get owners' consent before sharing with police, but that seemed to be done with a wink and a nod. I imagine the Flock arrangement will show owners' preferences being similarly bypassesd. -
Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff I wouldn't touch Ring cameras with a ten foot pole, but I'm still subject to surveillance by my neighbor's Ring cameras.
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Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff oh boy the future is bright!
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@eff I was horrified when I saw that commercial.
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Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff are there any recommended alternatives to ring?
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Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0 -
Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0
An alternate method to disable the feature. -
Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0Reddit is PISSED and theyre organising Ring Camera mass returns to Amazon
Ring camera fascism.
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Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff
Amazon has been in the surveillance and data collection and data mining game for most of its years.They even tried to buy Roomba, which exists to send 3d images of your floor plan back to h.q. under the guise of cleaning.
IOT was never about our convenience. It was always about surveillance.
Do people really not know these things or are they waiting for the bandwagon to feel some kind of way?
None of this is new.
#surveillance #ring #amazon -
Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff better, just get rid of ring entirely
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Guys, there comes a point when you need to kill it with hammers.
@faduda @Parkersavage @kevinrns @eff THIS!!!
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@eff are there any recommended alternatives to ring?
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@eff Thankfully I already disabled this "feature" (it's two parts. I see one for fires and one for pets.) I also enabled video encryption for whatever good that does. (Supposedly makes it harder for them to share? Yeah, I don't particularly trust it, but if that is what it takes...)
God I wish I could just get rid of the thing, but I have $1 in my wallet right now... (And yes, I need video.)
Don't take my word for it because if it doesn't work you'll be in a bad place but I've seen some people on reddit getting full refunds after claiming that the changed ToS means that this is no longer the device they bought or something like that.
If you can do that and use the money for a Eufy one or another system that works locally that could be a good idea (although that is a big if)
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@eff
Amazon has been in the surveillance and data collection and data mining game for most of its years.They even tried to buy Roomba, which exists to send 3d images of your floor plan back to h.q. under the guise of cleaning.
IOT was never about our convenience. It was always about surveillance.
Do people really not know these things or are they waiting for the bandwagon to feel some kind of way?
None of this is new.
#surveillance #ring #amazonThey tried to buy roomba but the EU started asking too many questions about the deal and they abandoned it, another point for strong antitrust regulations
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They tried to buy roomba but the EU started asking too many questions about the deal and they abandoned it, another point for strong antitrust regulations
@gbargoud Thanks for keeping me honest. Last I heard, it was a done deal... but that was awhile ago.
In any case, we all know a little bit more about Roomba. Thanks again, though.
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@gbargoud Thanks for keeping me honest. Last I heard, it was a done deal... but that was awhile ago.
In any case, we all know a little bit more about Roomba. Thanks again, though.
@gbargoud I'm keeping my error up so more people can fact check me. You're the hero of this thread.
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@gbargoud Thanks for keeping me honest. Last I heard, it was a done deal... but that was awhile ago.
In any case, we all know a little bit more about Roomba. Thanks again, though.
I thought it was a done deal a year or so ago when I looked it up for whatever reason and was surprised to see that they don't always get their way.
PS. I would recommend just changing "bought" to "tried to buy", your point would still stand
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I thought it was a done deal a year or so ago when I looked it up for whatever reason and was surprised to see that they don't always get their way.
PS. I would recommend just changing "bought" to "tried to buy", your point would still stand
@gbargoud
Advice taken. Thanks yet again. I'm planting your flag on this thread cuz you saved it twice. -
Ring has announced a new “Search Party” feature that could eventually bring mass biometric surveillance to our streets. It’s on by default. Shut it off.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/02/no-one-including-our-furry-friends-will-be-safer-rings-surveillance-nightmare-0@eff @earthlingusa I’m so glad I talked myself out of the Ring doorbell idea last year. This seems like something straight out of dystopian science fiction.
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I thought it was a done deal a year or so ago when I looked it up for whatever reason and was surprised to see that they don't always get their way.
PS. I would recommend just changing "bought" to "tried to buy", your point would still stand
@gbargoud
Meanwhile, Dutch police advise people to get a Ring
They even launched a website (https://www.politie.nl/informatie/aanmelden-camera-in-beeld.html) where people can register their camera to be part of a surveillance chain. The name and address of an owner of a camera capturing a crime are visible to lawyers defending the criminals. It's all so bad, and all the sheep happily jump on the same boat.
That being said, a family member was traumatised after a horrible robbery at home. A Ring is now in place.
